


Progression of the Morning Sun

by RebornFromSeas



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Developing Relationship, M/M, Morning Routines, Nonbinary Mollymauk Tealeaf, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 20:17:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16772164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebornFromSeas/pseuds/RebornFromSeas
Summary: When Molly is brought back to life, Caleb and Molly wind up roommates. Slowly, their relationship changes with each morning.





	Progression of the Morning Sun

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CrunchyWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrunchyWrites/gifts).



Caleb hadn’t been sure what would happen to the party’s unofficial roommate roster after resurrecting Mollymauk. Certainty the idea that Nott would join Jester and Beau while Mollymauk joined him hadn't crossed his mind. 

He wasn't sure if it was better or worse than his initial fear that Caduceus would start sleeping in his and Nott's room and see too easily that Caleb was a garbage person. Caleb’s uncertainty lasted as nightmares came more frequently without Nott curled up against him. He hadn't been sure until the night Mollymauk had left their own bed, had crawled into Caleb's and had fallen back asleep, naked on top of the sheets. It had been awkward, but the nightmares hadn’t come a second time that night.

The silence had been better than Clay making conversation about difficult topics, and Mollymauk's gentle breathing and weight provided the sort of immediate reassurance that not everyone in Caleb’s life was dead by his own hands, but the awareness of how Mollymauk slept hadn't its own side effects. Caleb had thought, after surviving Ikithon, that he'd gotten used to such intimacy by proximity. Sharing a room with two other teens had negated Caleb's ability to care about nudity back then.

At least Caleb had maintained his ability to ignore masturbation and even sex. Twice since that night, Mollymauk had hired companions, had gotten their money's worth, had sent them away... and had climbed into Caleb's bed to actually sleep. Falling asleep had been difficult those nights. It was difficult most nights, if he was honest. Caleb needed to go to sleep first, or the awareness of Mollymauk's naked body in his bed would prevent it.

Conversely, mornings were becoming Caleb's favorite part of the day. He and Mollymauk both woke up in the predawn, Caleb from his training and Mollymauk from being a traveler. They would stir and meet the other's eyes, then Mollymauk would smile softly and mumble about them being safe in town, accent thick around their smudged words.

Caleb usually got out of bed first, regardless of Mollymauk's murmured reminders,; leaving the warm spot for Mollymauk to sink into while Caleb busied himself by studying spells. Mollymauk would get more sleep until noises from the lower levels of the inn signaled that breakfast would be ready soon.

There was one month, the one Caleb finally told everyone else about his past, that he frequently found himself out of paper or spells to copy. With no reason to rise early, he had started to offer Mollymauk a place beneath the covers beside him.

It was one of those mornings that Molly did more than mumble the reminder that they didn't have to be up. "I'll admit, I would never have expected you to be so comfortable with contact," they said and leaned into Caleb's side.

Caleb hummed and shifted his arm, settling it across the small of Mollymauk's back. "If Nott and I hadn't gotten used to it for warmth, or if you had not be so respectful about sleeping above the blankets..." Caleb shrugged. "I do not think I would allow it from any of the others. But what of you? You haven't bought company in some time."

"Why would I? You're more interesting company then anyone else."

Caleb's breath came out in a short rush of quiet mirth. "I can't possibly be as interesting as they are."

Molly's eyes crinkled from laughter, and even through his tunic, Caleb could feel their smile before they spoke, "True enough, true enough. They're a great deal more physical with their entertainments, but I'm partial to the something different you have, ven if it demands more respect and patience to hold on to. Seems worth the care."

"You know what I am, and you still think that?"

Mollymauk hummed and pressed closer to Caleb, somehow. "We all do, you should realize. Maybe not as far as I do, but we all care. We all think you're worth being friends with."

Caleb sighed, then fell silent. It was the morning after receiving a large payment. They didn't need to be up for hours yet, and in this town, there was no Invulnerable Vagrant, open at all hours. The magic shop here wouldn't open until after breakfast. Caleb, and then Mollymauk, fell back asleep.

With coin came new spells and more supplies for copying them. Caleb started leaving the bed again, but leaving Frumpkin in it for Molly to curl around and pet. Molly stayed awake, now, to watch Caleb as he worked.

When the traveling jobs came, Caleb was never more thankful for learning to create a mansion on a separate plane. With so much of it being his own creation, no one needed to know that he connected their rooms, that every night Molly would sleep with him, theirhis weight and heat and breath shielding Caleb from torment.

That every morning they woke up to the earliest signs of dawn, as the sky lightened just enough to wash out the stars and leave the sky an unbroken expanse of dark velvet. That Caleb laid a hand on Mollymauk's chilled shoulder then invited them under the blankets. They watched through a window that showed them the material plane as the sun rose. 

"You've said that I'm worth the wait, Mollymauk, but what are you waiting for, from me?"

"That's quite the question, Mr. Caleb." Mollymauk propped themselfhimself on an elbow to look down at Caleb. 

"How so, Mr. Mollymauk?" Caleb tilted his head and slid his hand up Molly's spine.

Molly shivered at the touch. "I'm not entirely sure. A sign, I think. An answer."

"I think asking the question would be a good place to start."

Mollymauk gave a nervous chuckle. “Alright then. A question. The question.” Molly hummed. “We’re friends… you get something out of all of your friendships, but what do I give you?”

Caleb fell silent. At first he chewedchewing his lip, but then he brought his hand, the one unoccupied with the bare skin off Mollymauk's back, to his mouth and began chewing his thumb.

Molly snorted. "It's not that hard of a question. You always have an excuse to care about us, so what's your excuse for me?"

“Have you been speaking to Caduceus?”

Mollymauk clutched theirhis chest in mock offense. “What, do you think I don't have the insight for that on my own?”

“Nein, it is just, that is the sort of thing he asks, sometimes. He likes to make me think.”

“So what's the answer, then?”

“I don't have one for you.”

Molly frowned., “Am I that useless?”

Caleb shifted on the bed again, “When you died - ja, I know you don't want to hear about that - but when you died, I did not see a unique reason to keep you around. I did not enjoy your company the most and you could not heal. You should have, from my training, been just another body between me and dying. And yet, when you died, it hurt despite that. I cared more than any excuse could cover. You were a friend, my friend, regardless of the fact that we weren't close... and loosing you hurt.”

“You know, none of this sounds that great.”

Caleb grimaced then said, “This likely won't help but, think of it this way, if I liked you enough to grieve - and I did - if I like you regardless of usefulness, then I still have have a heart, despite Ikithon's best attempts to kill it.”

Molly made a pleased noise and settled back against Caleb's side. “I like that. I don't suppose there's anything I can do to help you remember that?”

Caleb tilted his head to get a better look at Mollymauk's face. Their eyes were crinkled in a teasing smile, true, but there did seem to be genuine sincerity, too. Molly shifted and pressed more of themself into Caleb.

Caleb flushed pink. “Ah - perhaps? I - may I try something, Mr Mollymauk?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Caleb hesitated, then cupped Molly's cheek. He bent his head and brushed their lips together, then did it again with more pressure, more deliberately, before pulling back and watching Molly's response.

“That, Caleb, that is delightful, and I'd be delighted to do that for you whenever you need the reminder.”


End file.
